Footrall-playing device



June 14, 1927.

A. B. FOANS FOOTBALL PLAYING DEVICE Filed Dec. a, 1926 IN V EN TOR.

JZncY-rewB. Evans BY Z ATTORNEYS AIbTDBEW B. BOA-NS, OF NEEV YORK, N. Y.-

ZOOTBALL-PLAYING DEVICE.

Application filed December This invention relates essentially to a device for playing toot ball in which a spring propelled foot of a figure representing a person actuated to kick a ballseated in the path of the foot.

The invention is designed to provide means to retrograde the toot after it has struck the ball to its operative position, and automatic means for moving the retrograding means out of action.

The fundamental object oi? the invention is to provide manually operative means with in the reach of the operator for movingone r any number oi the legs backward to its ing position.

.ll6 invention resides more particularly in the novel combinations hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which Fi. represents a side elevation of a deinbodying this invention.

2 is a rear elevation of the same. 7

. 3 is a section taken along the line In the drawing the numeral 5 designates a lJ'St'TG or platform having fixed thereon one or any number of figures 6 representing players in the game. One ot' the legs 7 of each ii 'ire is loosely arranged on a bolt 8 so tha 1t can swing to and fro and a spring 9 mted on the bolt propels the leg for var to kick a ball 10., as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.. The leg; is held in its trr-zted position by means of a spring bolt or latch 11 slidingzly arranged in a casing 12 secured to the base.

The bolt is normally in engagement with a projection or pin 14 on the heel of the leg so as to lock it in its backward position. The bolt can be actuated by a flexible connection within reach oi the operator, or as shown in Fig. l by means of an electro-magnet 15 connected by wires 16 to a push-button 1'? within reach of the operator. Wires 18'connecttire button to a battery or other source of electricity and when the magnet is energized by pushing the button the bolt is drawn toward the magnet thereby releasing the lc n which swings forward by the action of thespring to forcibly strike the ball.

The all after it is kicked can be caught I a player and then thrown into a cage 19 nred to the figure The cage has an open b $550111 so that the ball will drop into a shallow cup 20 secured to the base and having an opening 21 in its rear side for the foot Serial No. 153,224.

jecting from its other end. Aspiringv 29 normally holds the crank lever out of engagement with the hook 24m at the end of the link.

At the forward portion ofthe base is secured a standard. 30 havinga bolt or shaft 31 fixed thereto and on the bolt. is mounted ahand lever. 32. The. leveris -connected by 'means'o'ta rope. or otherwise to an opposite arm 34- extending upward from and fixed to the rear shaft.

When the leg is unlocked by pullingzthe latch backward the leg in swinging forward moves the link and the bottom portion there or" slides or rides on the pin 28 until the hook comes into engagement with the pin. The leg can then be drawn backward by op rating the lever 32 thereby transmitting motion to arm 34, crank lever 27 and pulling the link backward. After the link is pulled backward and the hand lever released the spring 29 expands so that the pin 28 will move out of engagement with the hook and at the same time restore the hand lever to its normal position. As shown in the drawing, there are three figures in a row on the base, but it will be seen that one or any number of the fig use could be employed each having a crank lever and link connection with a leg of the respective figure and one lever 32 connected to one arm 34 will operate one or any number of the legs. In this device when a legis unlocked it swings "forward independently of the other legs and the link connect d to said leg moves to engage the pin without interfering Jith the other links pivoted to the locked legs.

I claim r 1. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a figure representing a player Having a spring propelled swinging leg adapted to kick a ball, means for locking the leg in its retrograde position. and means shaft and it is equipped with a pin 28 proincluding a link having a spring pivoted to a leg controlled by the operator coacting with the propelling means normally out of action when the leg is locked brought into action when the leg is unlocked for moving the leg backward after it has struck the ball.

2. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a plurality of figures representing players each having a swinging leg adapted to kick a ball, means for locking each leg in its retrograde posit-ion, and means including a link pivoted to each le normally out of action when a leg is locker brought into action by unlocking any of the legs for moving the leg backword after it has impringed on the ball without moving the locked legs.

3. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a figure representing a player propelled swinging adapted to kick a ball, means for locking the leg in its retrograde position, a link having one end pivoted to-the leg, a spring crank lever coacting with the other end of the link normally out of action with the link, and a hand lever connected to the crank lever for actuating the link to retrograde the leg after it has struck the ball.

l. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a figure representing a player having a spring propelled swinging leg adapted to kick a ball, means for locking the leg in its retrograde position, a link having one end pivoted to the leg, a spring leg crank lever having a pin to coact with the other end of the link normally out of action,

and a hand lever having a flexible connec-' tion with the crank lever for actuating the link to retrograde the leg after it has struck the ball.

5. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a figure representing a player having a spring propelled swinging leg adapted to kick a ball, means for locking the leg in its retrograde position, a link having one end pivoted to the leg, a spring crank lever coacting with the other end or the link normally out of action, an arm connected to the crank lever, and a hand lever having a flexible connection with the arm for actuating the link to retrograde the leg after it has struck the ball.

6. In a foot ball playing device the combination with a figure representing a player having a spring propelled swinging leg adapted to kick a ball, means for locking the leg in its retrograde position, a link having oneend pivoted to the leg and a hook at the other end, a spring crank lever having a pin to at times engage the hook out normally out of action, an arm connected to the crank lever, and a hand lever having a flexible connection with the arm to move the leg backward after it has struck the ball. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW B. FOANS. 

